Retort



H. M. BARR.

HETORT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1920.

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ATTORNEYS H. M. BARR.

RETORT.

APPLlCATlON FILED MAY 24, 1920.

Y llVI/E/VTOR ATTORNEYS WITNESSES scan M. man, or rnnsacom, rnonxna.

nnronn Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

Application filed May 24, 1920. Serial No. 383,742.

My inventlon relates to retorts especially adapted for the destructive distillation of wood.

The object of the invention is to provide a retort of this character which is capable of efficiently carrying out the process of distillation without the employment of cumbersome and unyielding jackets of brickwork, concrete or other masonry thereby eliminating the damaging and deleterious effects due to the ruptures or cracks that occur in the masonr ing means which is embodied 1n and asso- Another important object is to provide a retort of this character with improved heatciated with the structure of the retort in such manner that the high degree of heat requisite to successful operation of the retort may be attained without exposing the contents of the retort to contact with the gases of combustion.

Another object is to provide a retort of simple and durable construction, reliable in operation and easy and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages reside in the certain novel features of the construction, arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter more' 'fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference'being had to the accompan ing drawings forming a part of this speci cation, and in which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the retort,

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the retort,

Fig. 3 is an end elevation,-

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the means for floating the floating flue section, and

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section thereof.

Referring to the drawings wherein is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention the retort is designated generally at A and a condenser designated at B of conventional construction is connected by the conduit C to the retort.

The retort A comprises a metallic shell 10 section 20 being alined with the preferably constructed of sheet iron and having an myerted U cross section. The top, bottom, side and end walls of the shell are, 1n general, of solid imperforate metal except t at one of the end walls is provided with a removable door 11.

The lnterior of the metallic shell is provlded with a lining 12 of asbestos which is exposed to contact with the volatile products of the wood which harden and render refractory the asbestos. A plurality of rivets or suitable fastening means 13 extend through the asbestos and the metallic shell to secure the asbestos and shell together. These rivets are so distributed as to exert a securing action evenly throughout the area of the lining and the shell.

A false bottom 14: of reticulated or foraminous metal is secured to the walls of the retortand defines with the inner walls of the retort a retort chamber 15 and a heating chamber 16. Rails 17 arranged upon the upper surface of the false bottom 14 are adapted to receive the carriage 18 which carries the wood to be distilled.

Means are provided for heating the retort without exposing the contents of the retort chamber to contact with the gases of combustion. This means consists of a pair of flues 19 extendirg longitudinally of the heat ing chamber. ach of these flues comprises two stationary flue sections 20 and 21 carried respectively by the front and rear end walls of the metallic shell, the stationary stationary section 21 of the opposite wall. The stationary section 20 leads to the furnace or other source of heat 22 and the stationary section 21 leads by a branch 23 to the stack 24.

. Both stationary flue sections 20 and 21 are of such material or are so insulated as not to' radiate heat. A floating flue section 25 is arranged within the heatlng chamber between the stationary flue sections 20 and 21 and is spaced from the walls of the heating chamber. The floating flue section 25 is of metallic construction and is adapted to freely conduct and radiate the heat.

The section 25 is suspended from each of the stationary sections by floating means which consists of an inner sectional sleeve of asbestos indicated at 26 (see Figs. 4 and 5) and an outer sectional sleeve 27 of thin sheet metal,the joints of which are staggered with respect to the joints of the asbestos sleeve'26. The sleeves 26 and 27 are each convexed centrally as shown at 28. a floating flue section suspended within the 66 Clamping bands 29 cooperate with the end portions of the sleeves to secure the sleeves to the adjacent ends of the stationary and floating flue sections respectively.

The retort is preferably mountedupon? a tion, a spllt metallic sleeve having a corres ondmgly convexed central portion and axles 30 carrying wheels 31 at their ends whereby the retort is made portable and may be moved from place to'place.

A crane 32 including a swinging boom 33 and a traveling block 34'is carried by the top of the retort and is adapted to be utllized in the removal of the doorll and for other purposes in conjunction with the operation of the retort.

In practice it has been found that when the sheet metal of the shell which comprises the retort is lined withasbestos and the asbestos is secured thereto in the manner described, the volatile products of the wood permeate the asbestos and harden and ren der the same refractory: Any expanslon or contraction of the metal of the retort is com municated through the securing means to the asbestos which-after the action of the volatile products of the wood, partakes of the expansion and contraction of-the IIOII through the action of the securing means.

When the retort is in operation the gases of. combustion from the furnace 22 flow through the stationary flue sections 20,: through the floating flue sections 23, through the stationary flue sections 21 and branches 23 to the stack. The floating heated to a white heat, and being freely sus pended, difluse the heat to best advantage and thereby eificiently heat the retort chamber. The means for floating the flue section 25 not only serve to suspend the same spaced from the walls of the heating chamber but also permit of the free expansion and contraction thereof as the ends thereof are free to partake of the movement incident thereto.

Theretort constructed in accordance with my invention is endowed with the feature of portability and may thus be utiliz'ed at the source of supply of the wood.

I claim':

1. A retort for the destructive distillation of wood comprising a metallic shell, a lining of asbestos for said shell, a false bottom of reticulated material defining a retort.

sections are heating chamber between the stationary sections and spaced from the walls of the heating. chamber and means for floating said floating flue section including a split asbestos sleeve having a centrally convexed porc amping'bands for securing the ends of the sleeve to the respectlve flue sections.

2. A retort for the destructive distillation of wood having a retort chamber anda heatsleeve, a split metallic sleeve and a clamping band.

3. A retort'for the destructive distillation of woodincluding a retort chamber and heating chamber and means for heating the retort including a floating flue section suspended within the heating chamber and spaced from the walls thereof and means for floating said flue section including an inner asbestos sleeve having a central convexed ortion, an outer split metallic-sleeve incasmg said split asbestos sleeve and clamping bands for the ends of said sleeves.

4. A retort for the destructive distillation of wood comprising a metallic shell and an asbestos lining for said shell, means for securing the asbestos lining to the metallic shell and means for heating the retort including a floating flue section suspended within the metallic shell.

5. A retort for the destructive distillation of wood comprising a metallic shell and an asbestos lining for said shell exposed to contact with the volatile products of the wood to be thereby hardened and rendered refractory, all as and for the purposes set forth.

6. A retort for the destructive distillation of wood comprising a metallic shell andan asbestos lining for said shell exposed to contact with the volatile products of the wood to be thereby hardened and rendered refractory, means for securing the asbestos exert a securing action evenly through the area of the lining and shell, all as and for the purposes set forth.

ortable retort for the destructive distillatlon of wood comprising a metallic shell, an asbestos lining for said shell and wheels carrying said metallic shell.

8. A retort for the destructive distillation of wood comprising a metallic shell having a retort chamber and a heating chamber and lining to the metallic shell and arranged to means for heating the retort including two stationary flue sections alined with each other, one of said sections being seated in one wall of the shell and leading to the source of heat and the other'of said sections bein seated in the op osite wall of the shell and l eading to the stac a floating flue section suspended within the heating chamber between the stationary sections and spaced from the walls of the heating chamber and means for floating said floating flue section including a split asbestos sleeve having a centrally oonvexed portion, a s lit metallic sleeve having a corresponding y convexed central portion and clamping bands for securing the ends of the sleeve to the respective flue section.

9. A retort for the destructive distillation of wood having a retort chamber and a heating chamber and means for heating the retort including a floating flue section suspended within the heating chamber and s aced from the walls thereof and means for oating said floating flue section including an asbestos sleeve having a centrally convexed portion, a metallic sleeve having a correspondingly convexed portion and a clamplng band for the ends of said sleeve.

HUGH M. BARR. 

